New Paper Shows Invasive Species Removal is a Nature-Based Solution for Climate Resilience
Island Conservation and partners have published a new paper quantifying ecosystem resilience on restored islands!
Restoring islands for nature and people worldwide.
Published on
March 7, 2018
Written by
Emily Heber
Photo credit
Emily Heber
Today the island of Kaho’olawe appears to be a small barren piece of land, but this island once flourished with native plants and seabirds. Located only seven miles southeast of Maui, the island was historically considered by Hawaiians a sacred place deeply connected to the surrounding ocean. The island’s proximity to Maui allowed people to transport valuable resources from Kaho’olawe to Maui. Although the island never had large-scale agriculture, it did support small agriculture plots of sweet potatoes and other crops.
The flourishing island began to change at the end of the 1700s after the introduction of goats, sheep, and cattle drastically altered the island ecosystem. Overgrazing led to soil erosion, but this was only the start of a dramatic change in the island ecosystem.
Now Island Conservation and our partners are working to restore the island and revive the native species that once thrived there.
Watch the video from Hawaii News Now to learn more.
Featured photo: Native Hawaiian ritual site on Kahoʻolawe Island, Hawaiʻi. Credit: Andrew Wright
Check out other journal entries we think you might be interested in.
Island Conservation and partners have published a new paper quantifying ecosystem resilience on restored islands!
Climate Week NYC: what is it and why is it important? Read on to find out why Island Conservation is attending this amazing event!
With sea levels on the rise, how are the coastlines of islands transforming? Read on to find out how dynamic islands really are!
Join us in celebrating the most amazing sights from around the world by checking out these fantastic conservation photos!
Rare will support the effort to restore island-ocean ecosystems by engaging the Coastal 500 network of local leaders in safeguarding biodiversity (Arlington, VA, USA) Today, international conservation organization Rare announced it has joined the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC), a global effort to…
Island Conservation accepts cryptocurrency donations. Make an impact using your digital wallet today!
For Immediate Release Conservation powerhouse BirdLife South Africa has joined the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC) – a global initiative aiming to restore, rewild and protect islands, oceans and communities – to support its work to save internationally significant albatross populations…
Video captures insights and hopes from the partners who are working to restore Lehua Island, Hawai’i. In 2021, Lehua Island officially became free from the threat of invasive rodents. This is a huge accomplishment that has enriched the region’s biodiversity…
Carolina Torres describes how the project to restore and rewild Floreana Island signals hope for a future where people and nature can thrive together in the Galápagos.
A new plan to restore seabird habitats in areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon disaster includes invasive species removal.